Exam Connection (OCR J411)

Frequency: This is one of the highest-frequency British Depth Study topics. The First World War, Liberal reforms, women's suffrage, and the home front all appear regularly.

Typical questions for this topic:

• "Describe four features of the Liberal reforms introduced between 1906 and 1911." (8 marks — about 15 minutes)
• "Describe four features of the wealth and class divide in Edwardian Britain around 1900." (8 marks)
• "Explain why Britain went to war in 1914." (8 marks — about 15 minutes)
• "How far did the First World War change life for people in Britain?" (16 + 4 SPaG marks — about 30 minutes)

For the describe-four questions (8 marks): You need FOUR distinct features, each with specific supporting evidence. "One feature was that the Old Age Pensions Act of 1908 gave 5 shillings per week to those aged 70 or over with incomes below £21 per year, paid at the post office without the stigma of the workhouse" scores full marks for that feature. "One feature was that the government gave money to old people" scores 0.

For "how far did the war change Britain" (16+4 marks): You must argue BOTH change (women's voting rights 1918; conscription; DORA; munitions factories) AND continuity/limits (women over 30 not all women; class system survived; demobilisation removed women from many roles). A strong answer will make a clear judgement — "The war brought significant change in the political status of women and the relationship between the state and citizens, but the social class structure and women's domestic role showed remarkable continuity."